Check out this video of Monk Hai-Tank (wmv file). He's 90-years-old, but he still has "finger skill." Which means that he can stand upside-down supported by only one finger. The video obviously has to be fake. I assume they're supporting him with invisible wires. Special effects like this are pretty standard in kung-fu movies. (via Ceticismo Aberto)
Comments
Also, if you watch the entire biography, he has some other interesting skills. He has not slept on his back since he was 17 and always meditates on a chair at night.
There is a temple in China that was erected for his memory as mastering Chi. George Lucas was inspired by him to create the character "Yoda".
CrankyMediaGuy although I find your responses somewhat witty and humorous, they are as much unfounded in fact as the rest.
"Also, if you watch the entire biography, he has some other interesting skills. He has not slept on his back since he was 17 and always meditates on a chair at night."
So, a biography which claims that a VERY old man can stand on his finger also makes some other questionable claims. And that proves what, exactly?
Sleeping sitting up is not a particularly unusual or difficult thing to do; I do it frequenly myself. His (allegedly) doing that in no way proves that he can stand on his finger.
"So if you cannot disprove the feat, and cannot prove it, how is it labeled on a Hoax site? That seems proven guilty until innocent."
This isn't a court of law. There's no issue of guilt or innocence here. We're simply questioning the ability of an old man (or anyone) to stand on their finger for an extended period.
I think Occam's Razor applies here. The far more likely explanation is that it's bullshit.
It's not fake, yea he's against the wall. It would be damned near impossible not to, maybe he can do that too, who knows
why are you all so quick to disprove something you have never seen before? It's like the earth being round hundreds of years ago, have an open mind
theres a guy on youtube that did push ups with his fingertips, he's a monk too but way younger
"why are you all so quick to disprove something you have never seen before?"
Well, you've convinced me, Crimson. In fact, because of your convincing logic, I'm going to reveal something I've been holding back.
I can fly. No, I don't mean in an airplane or if I'm attached to wires or something, I mean fly just like a bird.
You may be skeptical, but you should have an open mind. I mean, just because you've never seen a person fly, that doesn't mean that I can't, right?
You DO have an open mind, don't you? You aren't one of those closed-minded people like the ones who didn't think the Earth was round, right?
As we know, if someone makes a claim on the Internet, no matter how unlikely it may be, it MUST be true. Please tell me that you believe that I can fly. I wouldn't want to think that you were closed-minded.
Mind said:
"Shao-lins are not normal people"
They have Super Duper reinforced fingers?
>
Actually, yes they do. Via training, and bone growths, they have stronger fingers. If you watch the video closely, his first joint is hideously big due to the bone growths.
If you have done _any_ physical training (which judging by your need to argue with everyone in the world tells me no), you would know that you can gain strength through training. Yes! Even in your fingers.
Iron Palm is the training of the palm, whereas you can break large bricks with your palm impact. This is done by making the hand more resilient via training.
Why did you not argue the temple in his name, or any of the others facts? Why haven't you tried to research and prove to all of us that it's wrong rather than spouting what you "think"? You can sleep in a chair, but you can't sleep in a chair for 8 hours for 70 years of your life.
You are just proving the arrogance of your heritage with every word. Educate yourself, then make fact based retaliations so that you are not just a humorous critic as your name suggests.
"Via training, and bone growths, they have stronger fingers. If you watch the video closely, his first joint is hideously big due to the bone growths."
Um, could that be due to arthritis or another condition, especially since he appears to be a very elderly man?
"If you have done _any_ physical training (which judging by your need to argue with everyone in the world tells me no), you would know that you can gain strength through training. Yes! Even in your fingers."
Ah Ye Olde Personal Attack. I have no idea whatsoever how you go from my alleged propensity for arguing "with everyone in the world" to the notion that that somehow indicates that I have done no physical training. Seems like a non sequitor to me.
"Iron Palm is the training of the palm, whereas you can break large bricks with your palm impact. This is done by making the hand more resilient via training."
Wouldn't strength be more useful than resilience in this matter? I don't know specifically about "Iron Palm," but I do know that some of the usual martial art-related demonstrations are essentially tricks, like the board breaking things we've all seen. Basically, because of the way they're always staged, anyone of normal strength can perform them, no special training needed.
"Why did you not argue the temple in his name, or any of the others facts?"
Huh? I have no idea what you're trying to say in that sentence.
"Why haven't you tried to research and prove to all of us that it's wrong rather than spouting what you "think"? You can sleep in a chair, but you can't sleep in a chair for 8 hours for 70 years of your life."
Well, that's probably true, but who says he's actually done that? I guess you missed it when I pointed out that anyone can say anything on the Internet but that doesn't prove it's true.
"You are just proving the arrogance of your heritage with every word."
"Heritage?" Oh, you mean being a white Westener? I have to kind of laugh at people like you who seem to automatically assume that people from another, perhaps "exotic," culture automatically possess magical knowledge that we poor suckers from the First World do not and can not.
It is certainly possible (and desirable) to try to learn from other cultures, but it's just silly to unquestioningly accept the notion that people from far-away lands are inherently superior to us. Do you also think that the world is going to end in 2012 because the Mayan calendar doesn't go beyond that year?
"Educate yourself, then make fact based retaliations so that you are not just a humorous critic as your name suggests."
Despite whatever inference you may make based on my screen name, I assure you that my questions about this old guy standing on the tip of his finger are genuine. I just ain't buying it.
I'll continue to believe that this is a trick until I can see the stunt done in front of me where I can check for hidden wires and/or camera tricks.
so, the battle continues....
i really want all of you to give me your opinion of this pic, so i shall post it again:
http://www.fightauthority.com/watch.php?ytv=WAYa2tXkDBE
http://www.fightauthority.com/watch.php?ytv=WAYa2tXkDBE
"I remember watching a man on the Ed Sullivan Show years ago stand upside down on one finger on a crystal ball."
Assuming that this happened as you describe it, how long did the guy stand on his finger and how old did he appear to be?
Could the "mysterious looking white glove" have been a special apparatus which allowed him to appear to be standing on one finger?
"why are you all so quick to disprove something you have never seen before?"
Well, you've convinced me, Crimson. In fact, because of your convincing logic, I'm going to reveal something I've been holding back.
I can fly. No, I don't mean in an airplane or if I'm attached to wires or something, I mean fly just like a bird.
You may be skeptical, but you should have an open mind. I mean, just because you've never seen a person fly, that doesn't mean that I can't, right?
You DO have an open mind, don't you? You aren't one of those closed-minded people like the ones who didn't think the Earth was round, right?
As we know, if someone makes a claim on the Internet, no matter how unlikely it may be, it MUST be true. Please tell me that you believe that I can fly. I wouldn't want to think that you were closed-minded.
K. Heres a new comment i found.
Since this was demonstrated to newscasters at the 2008 Olympics, it's obviously possible.
Posted by john in los angeles on Tue Aug 26, 2008 at 06:49 AM
did you watch the olympics?
still not convinced?
here's a video from youtube where a man does a handstand on an open floor with the index and middle finger of both his hands
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hBXFTiRo_14&feature=related
and its not fake
I accept your apology in advance for being WRONG, closed minded-douche, who doesn't go out much and doesn't see too many amazing things in his life
a plank is a cheap piece of wood, wood that is not even and inch thick and has a large surface area can be easily broken.
Now concrete, heh thats a different story. On NatGeo they did this thing called fight science
the dude broke 7 concrete blocks with his elbow
the dude tried it before with a sledge hammer
a SLEDGE HAMMER!! guess what? no breaky
an yes some people in other cultures DO have knowledge we don't about certain things. Thats what happens when your not as commercialized and interdependent as America is
imagine 400 years ago people actually thought they knew everything about everything? Earth center of the universe? World being flat? people being evil primitives? cause they were different and new to them? man we have space shuttles, electron microscopes and holographic images for god'sake!!
don't be so quick to discount everything you don't understand at first
can you explain all the shit that happens around the Bermuda Triangle? didn't think so
damn..i never see anyone stand use 1 finger, as i never know anyone as EMO as Cranky Media Guy.
In this context, it means you fall into that social class perfectly.
And where are the comments about the Olympic post and the concrete posts above? Where is the witty banter we o-so-crave from you?
Provoke.
chuan bo, you rock
fucking idiot.
"I find it funny that you are so in receptive if these things."
???
"If they were fake, why would people still practice them?"
I think you just proved, using your peculiar "logic" that Criss Angel can really hover in thin air. I mean, if it's fake, why would he practice doing it?
"So if it is magic why don't you fight this old man?"
Sure, no problem. When can I expect you to send me a round-trip ticket to the Orient?
"One thing I know that they make jab there hand into a bag of gravel for hours a day, to increase the skins and bones resistence?"
And that will enable a VERY old man to balance his entire weight on one finger?
"Ever seen those guys balancing on lances?? I'm sure they are fake and that is why people buy tickets to see them."
So, the WWE is real? People buy tickets to their shows, which--again, according to YOUR "logic"--MUST mean that it's real.
"fucking idiot."
You can't provide any proof for the things you believe, so you engage in insults. Sad.
Well, I suppose you know all the magic trick in the world, no?
Tricks are fake yes, but according to you if you see it, its real. Well, so I believe you know EVERY trick in the book right? NOOOO. So I guess for you, you have to accept that magic is real...the ones you don't know anyways.
Also seriously, how could you compare WWE to martial arts, those guys eat roid bars and gain weight so they can look tough... Bruce lee could probably punch through them.
Oh ya,and 9/11 must be fake, I guess right? I mean it's not that hard to use movie tricks and Bush pay the news station to make some story up. Or am I real? Are we living in a virtuall world???? WHO AM I???
Well I guess you can't prove EVERYthing right?
So seriously, you cannot keep questioning facts.
Ex: 1+1=2
Why does 1+1 =2
because 1 apple +1 apple =2 apples
PRove it
okay 1 apple and 1 apple + 2 apples
HOw do you know that the other apple is not fake?
Because I jsut took it out of my pocket.
How do I know that it is nota trick..
That is Exactly how you sound right now..
Your new posting completely contradicts your previous one. Why am I not surprised by this?
I guess if these old monks told you they could fly, you'd be forced to believe it. After all, they jab their hands into bags of gravel. I mean, what MORE proof of ability to do the impossible could one ask for?
So, when should I expect the round-trip plane tickets to Asia so I can fight the old dude?
Okay let's go a bit off topic.
Is obama really black? I mean I never me him in person. Wait, if i did, how do I know that he's not reverse michael jackson. Yes, it MUST be some optical illusion. Oh oh wait, why don't you buy ME a ticket so I can believe that a black guy is president? Who cares about the news, I mean just because its on the news doesn't prove anything, so I guess it's all a hoax? You might as well put that on a hoax site.
You have nothing to say about my posts,so you have to say some random shit like that, oh and just in appreciation of you superb logic, I believe that Bruce lee can fly just beause he trains. Yes, he can definitely defy physic my training...
OFFTOPIC
Oh ya, btw Obama is white unless you prove me so.
He does, however, make me laugh when people just through poorly worded jests and insults. He doesn't, however, give any kind of backing to his own facts.
I'm still awaiting the responses to the National Georgraphic Documentary, and the Olympic demonstrations. Surely it was all camera magic? National Geographic is known for it, right?
Well, you just can't argue with THAT, now can you? Of course, that has much to do with the fact that it's impossible to understand.
OK, here's how it works on Planet Earth. YOU are making a claim (that these guys can stand on one finger for a prolonged period of time). The burden of proof is on YOU. I realize that you'd like for me to fly to Asia and fight the old guy (which apparently in your mind would somehow validate...well, something) but I suspect even you realize that isn't going to happen.
Sorry, but I just do not believe that it's possible for a human to support the entire weight of their body on a single fingertip. Given how small the area of a fingertip is, the pressure per square inch would be very large.
Secondly, there's the matter of balance. Moving even slightly in any direction would bring gravity into play. (You DO believe in gravity, yes? Or do you think that "Chi" can overcome it or something like that?)
Thirdly, there's the matter that this particular guy is REALLY REALLY OLD. Yeah, yeah, I know, these guys punch bags of cement or whatever it is you say they do. He's still nearly a century old, if we believe what we're told.
It seems to me that too many people use the idea of the Asian culture supposedly being "more in touch with nature" or cosmic forces or whatever as an excuse to throw out fundamental realities in favor of believing in fantasies. Asians can no more break the known laws of physics than Occidentals can. Bruce Lee movies are NOT proof that adherents to ancient cultures are "magical."
As for Barack Obama's race, uh, has it not come to your attention that the President had a black father and a white mother? That means that he is as black as he is white. So, what point were you incompetently trying to make?
so here something that you didn't tell me.
1. AGAIN, So how does flying link with physical training?
2. According to you logic, you really can't prove anything unless you see it yourself; SO therefore like I said, unless you know all the magic tricks in the world, you are claiming magics are real.
3. Your rebut against my obama analogy is pointless, you do not get the point of my argument,if I change it to "I refuse to believe that this man, Obama, is the president of the US"; it is still valid.
4. AGAIN, WHAT HE DID DOES NOT DEFY THE LAWS OF PHYICS.
5. About gravity, that is why he's leaning against a wall, as it would be extremely hard, but not impossible to do it without the wall.
6.Chi, is a Chinese word for energy.It is not fake, it is just another way for the Chinese to explain things. Just like how Chinese medicin use Ying and Yang to explain how the body works. Many diseases were cured with the Chinese doctrine.
7.And I'm not sure if you got my sarcasm, but now I am saying, I was sarcastic about my Bruce Lee analogy...
8.I would love to show you some Shaolin monks, but what good is it to me?
9. Who said he stood for prolonged period of time?
"hmmm so explain to me about 9/11 and Obama (which is black and that is why 97% blacks voted for him, regardless of his heritage people see him as black)"
What the HELL are you talking about?
"According to you logic, you really can't prove anything unless you see it yourself; SO therefore like I said, unless you know all the magic tricks in the world, you are claiming magics are real."
Since I never said that you can't prove anything unless you see it yourself, your "point," whatever it is, is moot.
"About gravity, that is why he's leaning against a wall, as it would be extremely hard, but not impossible to do it without the wall."
You actually believe that someone, even a 90-YEAR-OLD MAN, can stand on one finger tip without support of any kind? Wow.
"Chi, is a Chinese word for energy."
If that's all there was to it, there would be no disagreement. That isn't all there is to it, though. There's all that "meridian" and "points" stuff which has to do with acupuncture, which is pseudo-science.
"I would love to show you some Shaolin monks, but what good is it to me?"
Well, if I actually did see them, I might be able to determine what trick they used to "balance" on one fingertip.
"Who said he stood for prolonged period of time?"
Point taken. Yes, the claim is NOT that he stood on his fingertip for a prolonged length of time, but I still don't buy the whole thing.
---
Acupuncture & Dry Needling is a therapeutic method used by specially trained physiotherapists to encourage natural healing, reduce or relieve pain and improve function of affected areas of the body. It involves the insertion of very fine needles through the skin and tissues at specific points on the body. There is no injection of any substance and the treatment itself causes minimal discomfort. Dry needling treatments may cause more discomfort if tight muscles are being released or if a muscle is being stimulated to increase strength. The soreness is temporary and improved muscle flexibility and strength is realized quickly. Physiotherapists who use needles must be on the acupuncture registry with the College of Physical Therapists of Alberta.
--
Or did you look this up via a hoax site, who are the authority on all things unknown?
http://www.bridgeport.edu/pages/2713.asp
http://www.csp.org.uk/director/members/groupsandnetworks/clinicalinterestandoccupationalgroups/complementarytherapygroups/acupuncture.cfm
or maybe this will be better because it is american, the Relative units for Physio degrees with acupuncture courses listed:
http://www.apta.org/AM/Template.cfm?Section=Home&CONTENTID=19045&TEMPLATE;=/CM/ContentDisplay.cfm
or this which shows another American university, with an article on the acupuncture training it gives to its medical staff:
http://psychiatry.medicine.dal.ca/department/July04_2.pdf
I could go on and on. Perhaps this will make you more open to other theories, besides your own.
So, this course is accredited by an outfit specifically set up to "accredit" "alternative medicine." This is like if some "accrediting" outfit owned by the Church of Scientology "accredited" a Scientology auditing course.
Believe it or not, sometimes, universities offer courses in fake stuff and quack medicine. Unfortunate but true.
For the CSP link, I refer you to my comment about Scientology.
A search for "acupuncture" on the APTA.org site seems to return only a piece about the director sending letters to newspapers in response to a news story which mentioned acupuncture and physical therapy. The purpose of the letter appears to be to promote the use of physical therapy, not acupuncture.
Your fourth link goes to a ten-page PDF of which ONE PARAGRAPH concerns a 40 hour workshop for health care professionals in acupuncture. It says "Addictions prevention and treatment services" was offering the course, but it doesn't say what the acupuncture was supposed to treat. Of course there is no indication whether the acupuncture had any effect at all on anything.
The hospital in question is in Nova Scotia, Canada, NOT the U.S., by the way, contrary to what you said.
You ought to take a look at the news story that APTA was responding to, by the way. It was about scientists actually TESTING "legitimate" acupuncture versus "fake" acupuncture. You might find it interesting.
"What the HELL are you talking about?"
wtf do you mea? I said perfectly well before that ummm obama is definitely NOT the president and 9/11 us just some scam, I mean comon, do you really believe that some retard smashed 2 planes into a bulding AND it was caught on tape? (I hope you get what i'm trying to say here.)
sorry I really don't have too much time to spend on this.
don't snip my post and respond them individually. read as a whole./
"sorry i fail to understand i word you said about my post.
'What the HELL are you talking about?'
wtf do you mea? I said perfectly well before that ummm obama is definitely NOT the president and 9/11 us just some scam"
No, HERE is what you ACTUALLY said:
"as I said I do not see how your comments refute mine, as i have explained. hmmm so explain to me about 9/11 and Obama (which is black and that is why 97% blacks voted for him, regardless of his heritage people see him as black)"
Besides being ungrammatical, it also makes no sense and has NOTHING to do with the subject...bt other than THAT, it's fine.
I love your "reasoning" that the fact that a large number of black people voted for Obama somehow "proves" that he's black. He is, as I pointed out, half black and half white because of his parentage.
By your "logic," Bill Clinton and John F. Kennedy are/were black. After all, a large majority of black voters voted for them, right? So there you go. Where do people get off saying that Obama is our first black president?
By the way, when, prior to that comment I just quoted, did you say anything about 9/11--and what would THAT have had to do with the subject of this thread?
Now that I have a better insight into your reasoning skills, I understand why you think a man who is nearly a centenarian can stand on one finger.
3. Your rebut against my obama analogy is pointless, you do not get the point of my argument,if I change it to "I refuse to believe that this man, Obama, is the president of the US"; it is still valid.
Since I never said that you can't prove anything unless you see it yourself, your "point," whatever it is, is moot.
you clearly said in previous posts stating that unless you see him performing it live in front of you without wire you will not believe. that is not gonna happen anyways because hes dead. But my point remains valid.READ SO YOU KNOW WHAT I'M REFREING TO.
It has come to my attention that you ignore people's facts or things that you cannot rebuke, so you pick things that other people say that you can argue about, which in most cases are retarded and once that point is rebuked by another person you change the subject by arguing another point that person said. From now on, I will list everything that you said nothing about. and they are only from my post by the way.
And I'm not going to explain everything I say, so read.
copied and pasted from previous posts.
1. AGAIN, So how does flying link with physical training?
2.Your rebut against my obama analogy is pointless, you do not get the point of my argument,if I change it to "I refuse to believe that this man, Obama, is the president of the US"; it is still valid.
3. AGAIN, WHAT HE DID DOES NOT DEFY THE LAWS OF PHYICS.
4.Also seriously, how could you compare WWE to martial arts, those guys eat roid bars and gain weight so they can look tough... Bruce lee could probably punch through them.
there are probably way more, but I think it is a waste of time for me to explain things to you as you do not accept most things from the internet, which is the only real way of communication between you and me.
GOD, its like talking to caveman who can speak english, i certainly do hope someone else will open you mind..
peace out.
"Your rebut against my obama analogy is pointless, you do not get the point of my argument,if I change it to "I refuse to believe that this man, Obama, is the president of the US"; it is still valid."
But what you originally said was:
"hmmm so explain to me about 9/11 and Obama (which is black and that is why 97% blacks voted for him, regardless of his heritage people see him as black)"
I don't read minds, so I don't know what you MEANT to say. I can only respond to what you ACTUALLY say and in that case, it was nonsense.
Let's cut to the chase here. Although you refuse to believe that the duly-elected Barack Obama is the president of the United States (which is completely irrelevant to the topic under discussion here), you DO believe that a 90-year-old man can STAND ON ONE FINGER WITHOUT ASSISTANCE. Fascinating.
"you clearly said in previous posts stating that unless you see him performing it live in front of you without wire you will not believe."
No, I never said that, but I DID say that IF I saw him do it in front of me, I would probably be able to figure out the trick involved.
"GOD, its like talking to caveman who can speak english, i certainly do hope someone else will open you mind."
Yeah, I'M clearly the one who has problems with the English language here.
I'll respond to your other points later today. I have to run a few errands right now.
I believe my comment about flying was in the context of you seeming to believe in whatever you WANT to believe in even when there is no evidence to support it. It was sarcastic.
"2.Your rebut against my obama analogy is pointless, you do not get the point of my argument,if I change it to "I refuse to believe that this man, Obama, is the president of the US"; it is still valid."
Addressed previously. Your silly opinions on the legality of Presiden't Obama's election are irrelevant to this discussion.
"3. AGAIN, WHAT HE DID DOES NOT DEFY THE LAWS OF PHYICS."
You may actually have a point here. I probably misspoke by saying that. I still maintain, however, that the surface area of a fingertip is so small that the pressure of the man's whole body on it would be more than he could endure. Also, remember that virtually everyone who reaches the age of 90 has some evidence of arthritis. Oh, I'm sure there's some "explanation" of how the Chinese, using their magical "chi," don't get arthritis. Uh, no.
"4.Also seriously, how could you compare WWE to martial arts, those guys eat roid bars and gain weight so they can look tough... Bruce lee could probably punch through them."
Um, once again, I was employing the linguistic device known as "sarcasm." You seem to be unfamiliar with it, oddly enough.
Bruce Lee, by the way, while he certainly had studied martial arts, was also a performer and could not actually do many of the stunts he was depicted as doing in real life...you know, just like wrestlers.
Unless under controlled environments, we cannot conclude anything from the video, thus making ALL of your (by that I mean everybody) points "moot".
I do however believe that a lot of video should be removed from this site UNLESS they are proven to be hoaxes (by that I mean carefully designed experiments, not just arguing over what you see on the internet.)
"Okay to conclude everybodies thoughts, this is a VIDEO of a man doing "finger stand". You can never prove anything with the video, because it can easily manipulated. However, the same goes for the contrary, you CANNOT prove that it is not true."
That's true. So what? See, the way things work is that if you make an extraordinary claim, the burden of proof is on YOU. Would you like me to show you how the other way around is unfeasible? Sure, no problem. Here goes.
I say there are flying monkeys on the dark side of the moon. OK, prove me wrong. Remember, your proof has to be completely irrefutable or I'll just reject it. Good luck.
See the problem yet? If you claim that a 90-year-old man can balance on one finger, the burden of proof is on you. So far, I haven't seen the slightest proof of it.
Sunil Wanjare, Pune
Crystal Institute
I do not think what we see here disobeys any biological or physical law, it is simply an act (or a hoax) of extraordinary feat. I suppose you can compare to when the contortionists fit themselves in a small box. You would of course claim, OMG...But that does not mean that it is false, just as the earth still revolves around the sun no matter what those people believed in the medieval times. Could Galileo show them definitive proof of how Earth revolved? Of course not, every single error would be scrutinized and exploited.
But going back to my early point, how do you prove that it's fake? Just because I can't prove it's true, does not mean that it is not true, just as the Earth will always spin even though I can't prove it (with my knowledge). Thus I still hold my ground that this video should be removed, unless PROVEN to be false.